Holidays
by Margot-Eve
Summary: Dark Gray drabbles during 4 holidays
1. Halloween

After the ghost shield was deactivated Amity Park tried to rebuild what they could, the whole world was lifting itself up from the ashes. Holidays became the breath of normalcy and moment where all could regain their happy spirit and let loose a bit. Especially Halloween.

Still one would not find a single ghost costume among the people of Amity Park. Ghost still were, and probably will be for a long time, a sour topic there.

Valerie on this day of festivities did extra rounds of patrol, better safe than sorry. Plus ten years of habit is hard to die in just two years. It made her feel better when she saw that all things were in order. Kids walking from door to door, excited and comparing the amount of candy they got. The sight made her feel nostalgic, reminding her of the time when she would try to come up with a costume weeks ahead of Halloween. But she could never beat Paulina. Paulina, Dash… Valerie's smile dropped at the thought of her dead friends.

But what's past should remain in past. The Red Huntress shook the sad memories and concentrated on Amity Park in the present day. She landed her hover board in front of Fenton Works and took off her helmet.

"Trick or Treat, Valerie."

She nearly jumped out of her skin hearing the deep voice behind her, her hand immediately at her blaster.

"STOP DOING THIS!" she whipped around angrily to scold the man who scared her but then she paused and gaped. "What. Are You. Wearing?"

"Bzz Bzz." Dan said dryly.

The ghost decided to shape-shift into more human look. But that was not the shocker there. Dan Phantom was in Halloween costume. Well sort of. He kept the "costume" as minimalist as possible. He was wearing a black headbands with antennae. Each antennae had a bright yellow, soft foam ball at the end. Aside of that, his black T-shirt had a bee drawn at his chest. His jeans and biker boots were untouched by any other "bee" characteristics.

"It's Halloween Valerie. I'm trying to get in the spirit of the holiday." he smiled and raised a plastic pumpkin shaped container for candies. "C'mon you won't give me any sugar?" he leaned forward.

She didn't trust his damn smile for the life of hers. Not when it was joined with that look in his red eyes. She stuck her blaster under his chin.

"Only good kids get candy on Halloween." she replied seriously.

Dan took a step back.

"Kill joy." he sighed and took off the headband, running his hand through that wild mane of black hair of his. "I thought that only applies to Christmas. Today is mischief night." he side eyed her with impish gleam in his eyes. "My night. I have to admit I'm disappointed, Valerie."

"Oh, yeah? What's so disappointing?" she put her gun back into it's holster, and then crossed her arms on her chest.

"I thought you'd dress as Red Riding Hood so I can be the Big Bad Wolf." he winked at her and she had a difficult time trying not to blush.

Valerie cough, clearing her throat. "You're an ass."

"A great one, don't forget that." he replied smugly.

"Why are you here, Dan?" she finally asked. "I thought you were in Europe."

"I was but we finished early." he shrugged. "Rebuilding is soooo tiring, I much rather destroy, alas," he shoot her a look. "I promised to behave."

"You're lying." she bit at him tapping her finger over her forearm.

"Alright, you have me there. I've ran away for tonight." he finally admitted. "You know they don't celebrate Halloween in Eastern Europe? That's outrageous." he huffed crossing his arms and looking offended.

The corner of her mouth trembled but she managed to stop herself.

"So why did you come here?" she asked further.

Dan shrugged, "Maybe I came to visit someone but I don't think that someone appreciates it enough." he faked hurt pride.

That was enough for her to relax a bit.

"Maybe that someone would appreciate it more, if you didn't jump-scare her like that." She cocked her hip and arched an eyebrow at him amused.

"Not even for the old times sake?"

"Dan." She warned him.

He raised his arms in surrender. "I give in. C'mon Valerie, let's go Trick or Trickin'."

"I don't have a costume," she pointed out.

To that Dan pulled out of the pumpkin another bee headband. "Now you do."

Now she had to laugh. "I am NOT wearing that."

"You wanna bet?" he waggled his eyebrows and stepped closer as she took step back.

"You wouldn't dare."

"We both know I would." his hand shone with green energy.

No matter how fast she was she still got caught up in his force field.

"I'm going to get you for this." she hissed at him.

"And I can't wait. Now smile, you're the Queen Bee." he said with glee placing the ridiculous headband on her head. True to his word this one had a tiny crown attached as well.

Before he let her go, he put on his own headband. "Now we're ready." he announced and left her out of the stasis.

"I'm gonna kick your ass." she said when he handed her a spare pumpkin basket. "I'm serious. Anyone takes a photo of us, you're dead. Gone. I'll annihilate you."

"Promises, promises. You're cute when you threaten my afterlife." he offered her his arm and reluctantly she accepted it. "If it will make it better I'll give you all the best candy."

"You got that right, ghost." she grumbled but couldn't keep the grumpy face for long. Because how serious can you be when your ex-nemesis was waggling his eyebrows at you, while wearing a bee-headband which bounced with each movement of his head? "You're ridiculous."

"You're not better, Red Huntress." he hummed. "C'mon before the candy is gone." and he pulled her down the street. And she let him do that. Because it was Halloween, everyone should let loose a bit.

But she did smack him later for taking the damn picture when she was not looking.


	2. Christmas

Valerie has been avoiding mistletoes like the plague. It was getting to the point of ridiculous, where couple times she had to use the windows to leave. And it was Dan's fault. They made this absurd bet and he was hell bent on winning it. Why the hell did she agree on it in the first place!? Oh right, pride.

Either way she had to survive till midnight and not walk under ANY mistletoe. BUT THEY WERE EVERYWHERE. She couldn't go into her own home because of it! Valerie glared at the damned plant dangling right above her front doors, cursing under her breath.

"I thought all those stupid ghosts had a truce or something!" she grumbled angrily to herself as she climbed through the window into her own room.

"We do, but we're not fighting here, Valerie." Dan was laying on her bed, flipping pages of some magazine.

"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" she aimed the blaster at his head and he laughed as he became invisible.

 _Just couple more hours Valerie, just couple more hours._ She repeated that like a mantra. Then she noticed he placed a mistletoe next to the ceiling lamp. She shot that green menace with her gun. Gosh he could be such a brat sometimes!

One day in the year when she gets rest from all the ghosts but HE just couldn't have it that way, now could he?

Stupid, dumb, prideful, pigheaded ghost. She was throwing all the curse words she could think of at Dan as she went to take a hot shower to chase the cool away. It also improved her mood.

After shower Valerie went to help her father set the dinner. And time flew, she couldn't even tell when it got dark but everything was ready and it all looked so good… wait. Where was Dan?

The damned ghost had not bothered her whole afternoon. It didn't sit right with her. He was planning something. She had to check it.

"I'll be right back Daddy." she kissed her father's cheek as she headed to the window.

"But the dinner is ready, Val." Damon looked at her confused.

"I'll just have to- ARGH HE DIDN'T!" one look at the windows had her furious.

It looked like while Val was distracted with Christmas preparations, Dan had planted mistletoes in every window in her home. Bastard! He WAS planning something! She wanted to destroy each and every mistletoe in her home but the doorbell changed her plans. The guests were here.

Entire evening Val has been on the edge and not really listening to what people were talking about. Something about city hall, maybe.

"Hey, Val, you want to go with us?" Kwan tapped her shoulder and she had to refocus.

"Sure. Where?"

The young man smiled politely at her. "City Hall. Val are you alright? You don't look.."

"I'm fine," she cut him off. "I'll go, just someone has to take down the mistletoe from the doors."

Enough of sitting down, whatever Phantom planned must have been outside of her house. They all got dressed up, everyone else were chatting happily but Valerie couldn't get into it. Her eyes wide open for any mischief Dan had planned.

Finally they reached the City Hall. Right in front of it was placed a tall construction in rectangular shape covered in white sheets.

"So what are we waiting for here?" Val asked Kwan.

"The sign said something will happen here at midnight and that's in a minute." Kwan checked his watch.

Suddenly the white sheets dropped and exposed a tall Christmas Tree. And Dan. He had one of those smiles. Those crazy smiles she learned to avoid. She was reaching for her blaster when suddenly his hands caught fire. The crowd watched as he rose up in the sky and… the tree became illuminated with Phantom's fire. Thousands of candles were lit at once. Hundreds of people sighed with relief and wonder at once. It truly was beautiful. The way the holiday ornaments sparkled with the warm light of fire, like ice or crystal in the sun. In colours so beautiful Val wondered where did he got all of those things.

Dan landed in front of Valerie with smug expression. "Like what you see?"

"If you mean the tree then yes." she arched an eyebrow at him and he shrugged.

"Don't get used to it. It's just for holidays."

"I like it." he didn't expect her to place her hand in his with that soft smile of hers. "So this is what the bet was all about?"

For a moment there was surprise on his face and he observed their hands. Together.

"Would you leave me alone if I didn't set it?" he asked simply.

"Probably not."

"There's your answer."

She chuckled and he joined her. A normal laugh, not a boastful or annoying cackle. Such a rare thing with him.

"Thank you." she pulled him down and without the help of mistletoe placed a kiss on his lips.

And suddenly they were back at the cave, two years ago. And they forgot there were people around them. And it probably lasted a whole eternity or maybe just a second but when they parted it somehow was so hard to return to reality.

Val licked her lips and let go of his jumpsuit and reluctantly pulled away.

"Merry Christmas Val." he said, brushing the back of his hand over her cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Dan."

Merry indeed.


End file.
